Chapter 20: Fake Love

Riley's Point of View:

“Have you ever been so confused that you don't even know whether to keep going or give up?”

“Yes, I have always felt that way. I'm even feeling it right now!” My conscience replied, ruining the silent effect I aimed at.

A frown settled on my face, and I folded my arms around my chest. “Really?! Do you have to reply? Can't you just ignore me for once in your miserable life?”

My conscience snorted, and I could tell she was mocking me. “Whoa, babes, take it easy. Miserable is a strong word. Also, I didn't reply, you did. You are also the one replying right now,” she explained.

“No, that can be true. I am not that dumb!” I argued, not ready to accept defeat.

“Yeah, that sounds exactly like something you will say,” My conscience said, and her voice suddenly went quiet.

I sighed and sat down on my bed, as memories of my conversation with Alex resurfaced.

Alex acted really strange today. First and foremost, he replied with emojis, most especially the heart emoji, and just a few months ago when I had suggested that we should flirt with emojis, he refused, because he hated it. Also, he sounded a bit cling. This had nothing to do with my imagination. The way he had looked me in the eyes, and how he avoided topics related to Roland spoke voice. He was also very caring when I came out of the restroom. Or is he in love with….

“No, no! That's impossible, I am probably getting ahead of myself,” I reasoned and collapsed onto a couch. Sleep was clouding my eyes like a thick blanket on a cold night, threatening to take me on a journey, and I eagerly gave me.

Earlier That day:

As Roland and I walked to his car, a thought suddenly dropped in my head. “What if you don't survive the surgery? Remember the doctor said it's still an experiment.” My conscience asked, and I suddenly stopped walking. I felt the rush of my adrenaline, and I looked around nervously, thinking people could sense my fear.

“Trust me, it is better to tell your family than to die alone in a dark room,” Doctor Ellen's words echoed in my head, and my face turned pale.

“Could she be right?” I murmured under my breath.

Alex must have sensed that something was wrong because he stopped and ran to my side.

“Alex, do you think dying alone without the knowledge of your abusive family is a legendary move?” I asked the first question that popped into my head, and Alex furrowed his brows in confusion.

I couldn't help but notice the concerned look on Alex's face as he looked at me.

“Why in the world are you talking about dying? Riley, what's going on? Are you hiding something from me?”

I immediately tried to brush it off, not wanting to arouse his suspicion. "No, of course not. I was just thinking about a book I read," I said, trying to sound nonchalant.

But Alex wasn't buying it. He raised an eyebrow, his eyes narrowing slightly. "A book? That's a pretty heavy topic for a book, don't you think?" he asked, his voice laced with skepticism.

I forced a laugh, trying to deflect his concern. "Yeah, I guess it is. I just have a weird fascination with, uh, philosophical stuff, I guess." I trailed off, feeling a bit awkward.

Alex looked at me for a long moment, his eyes searching mine. I could tell he didn't believe me, but he didn't push the issue. Instead, he nodded and smiled. "Okay, well, let's get you home then."

As we walked to the car, I couldn't shake the feeling that Alex suspected something was wrong. I had been careful to keep my illness a secret, but sometimes I couldn't help but let my emotions slip. I just hoped that Alex wouldn't pry too deeply, or he might just uncover the truth.

Back To The Present:

The ringing of my phone woke me up, and I jumped up from the couch, wondering who was calling me at such an ungodly hour. My eyes were still sleepy, so I used my hands to locate my phone.

“Who is this? And why are you calling me by this time of the night!” I asked the minute I picked up the call.

“What time of the night are you talking about, girl?” My mother's stern voice banged out of my phone's speaker, and I sighed in frustration. “Riley, you are still asleep? Come on, child! Today is Monday, and the sky is shining so bright.”

“What! It's morning already?!” I growled, and my eyes widened at once. My sleepiness instantly vanished, and I picked up my table clock to be sure that my mother wasn't joking around.

“It's nine o'clock, Miss Riley! Arise and shine!” The little AI-powered robot in my clock sang melodious.

My head was spinning, as a result of the heavy intake of alcohol I had.

I rubbed my temples, trying to alleviate the pounding headache. I had completely forgotten that I had a meeting at my parent's company today. And now, my mom had to remind me that I needed to get ready and come over.

“I can't believe she woke me up from sleep just because of this! Wow, she really sucks at being a good mum,” I grumbled under my breath, but when her voice sounded again, I quickly put on my actress mode.

"Mom, I'm on my way," I said, trying to sound more awake than I felt.

"Okay. See you soon, dear," my mom replied and then hung up.

I sighed and tossed my phone aside. I needed to get moving. I quickly got dressed and headed out the door, hoping that I wouldn't be late for the meeting.

I know you might all be wondering why I am not complaining and going along with everything. Well, since there was a tiny percent chance that cancer wasn't going to kill me, I was determined to overcome my anger and tunnel it into teaching my family a bitter lesson. I will be the perfect daughter to my parents, and I will be my brother’s nemesis.

As I drove to my parents' house, I couldn't help but think about Alex and our conversation yesterday. He had seemed genuinely concerned about me, and I had brushed it off, not wanting to arouse his suspicion.

But now, I was starting to wonder if I had made a mistake. Should I have been more honest with him? Should I have told him about my illness? Will he turn me into a pathetic puppy, or will he accept me with warm hands?

I pushed the thoughts aside, focusing on the road ahead. I would deal with Alex, and Roland later. Right now, I needed to get through this meeting with my family and their company.

As my car pulled up to the front of the huge company, I did a quick face check, making sure that my makeup and hair were in great order. I hurriedly picked up my bag from the passenger seat, and the instant my heel touched the company's floor, everyone was gaped.

“It's the CEO, first child! Our heiress is back!” Those were the words that filled everyone's mouth. And I used it attention to my benefits. I purposefully walked slowly, allowing my aura to be seen. A lot of newscasters were around, and they kept snapping my pictures, while some asked annoying questions.

“Miss Riley, is it true you've gone back to your first surname, Burrito?” A male journalist asked, thrusting his microphone near my mouth.

“What do you have to say regarding the rumors of your engagement with Mr. Alexander Hamilton-Rodriguez?” A female journalist with a grimace look asked.

“Are you still a lesbian? Or did change your sexuality just to win your parent's approval?” I heard that question. I wasn't sure who asked, because the person was at the back, but the question caught my attention.

I stopped in my tracks, brushed my hair to my back, and scoffed. “I will start by saying that I never told anyone that I'm a lesbian! You all brought up the rumor out of spite. All I said was that I like women, and I am not changing my words, because I indeed like girls. But, I also like men, and in case you don't understand, it means I am bisexual! You can go about telling the whole world whatever you like, but I don't see the need to tell anyone my sexuality. I owe no one an explanation for who I am!” I said with so much confidence that all those present were shocked.

I couldn't bring myself to look at each and everyone's faces, because they were the same people who had mocked and bullied me when I first came out.

“Everything is about fake love! No one genuinely cares about us!” My conscience muttered, and I couldn't agree more.